Brexit Principle, or Brexit 'Pragmatism'?

No surrender, or suck it up and live with it?

A Brexit Facts4EU.Org Sunday Editorial

Brexit Facts4EU.Org is in regular contact with around 20 significant Brexit organisations, with around 10 smaller organisations, and with many pro-Brexit politicians. Let’s just say that the relations between some players has become ‘tense’ in recent weeks.

What is causing the fuss?

It will not surprise regular readers that the cause of all the tension is the Prime Minister’s Brexit ‘deal’. Or to put it another way, a ‘Clean Break Brexit’ versus the ‘Boris Brexit’.

This has been thrown into sharp relief as a result of Parliament finally acceding to Boris Johnson’s insistence that a general election is needed. With this now agreed and with the election now under six weeks away, the issues surrounding the new Brexit agreement negotiated by the PM and his team have been thrown into sharp relief.

The choice now appears to be stark. Of the two main pro-Brexit parties, the Conservatives are naturally backing the PM’s ‘deal’ whilst the Brexit Party favours a clean break Brexit. Not one Conservative MP – not even members of the ERG – are doing anything other than toeing the party line. Not publicly, anyway.

Arron Banks and Leave.EU back the Boris deal

The head of Leave.EU, Arron Banks has written an article in today’s Sunday Express, which many readers will have seen. In it he says:

“We should be under no illusion that the deal Boris negotiated with the EU is 95 per cent of Mrs May’s ‘surrender treaty’ but with some improvements on the backstop which just about make it acceptable.

“I would prefer a clean-break Brexit and then look for a free trade deal once we have recovered our leverage with the EU.

“However, I fear if we don’t leave the EU soon it will never happen. We reluctantly backed the Boris deal on the basis that we would leave the EU and after an election he would win a large majority and ultimately be in a stronger position to go into the next phase of negotiations.”

Steve Baker MP and the ERG back the Boris deal

“I’m now at a loss to know what Nigel Farage wants to achieve. The reason every Conservative Eurosceptic MP backed the deal is that it can deliver a Brexit worth having.

“But Boris will only negotiate a great future for the UK if he has a good majority of resolute Conservative MPs. Nigel now risks that and our future.

“It is completely inconceivable that the Conservative Party would now go for no deal and a pact.”

Principle, or hopeful pragmatism? No surrender, or suck it up?

Readers who have been with us since the Referendum campaign know that we argued from day one that the EU would never agree a sensible termination agreement and that the UK should leave and then negotiate future trade terms.

Instead, Mrs May wasted nearly three years on arrant nonsense, leaving Boris Johnson with an existing text on which he could only achieve modest improvements. Had he had a clean sheet and more time, we are sure the result would have been radically different.

Still, we are where we are, as they say. And now voters are facing what appears to be a stark choice on 12 December.

Put simply, pro-Brexit voters must decide between principle, or apparent pragmatism. No surrender, or suck it up on the basis it’s better than a Remainer Labour government, possibly in coalition with the Remainer LibDems, and/or Remainer SNP, and/or Remainer Greens and/or Remainer Plaid Cymru.

Observations

There’s still a long way to go

Elections often throw up surprises during the campaign - and in their end result – and perhaps never more so than in this decade. It might therefore be too early to be taking decisions.

Then there is also the whole question of tactical voting, which we have raised in the last week. Brexit Facts4EU.Org is currently working on a revitalised version of our ‘Brexit Seal’, to be applied to candidates in the election.

Our present thinking revolves around two types of seal, both indicating a general pro-Brexit stance of a candidate. One type would indicate a candidate backing the PM’s ‘deal’ and the other would be given to those advocating a ‘Clean Break Brexit’.

Naturally we welcome readers’ thoughts on all of the above, as usual.

Finally, there is not much we can do if we don’t have any funding. We rely 100% on individual donations to keep going. We need your help now more than ever, as we have so much to do. Quick and secure donation links are below. Please don’t assume that others will do this. Thank you so much.

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Reader Comments 30

1. Concerned , Sunday, November 03, 2019, 07:57:

My view is that we should leave forthwith with no 'deal'. I think this was always the best and only common-sense approach. Nothing that has happened in the last almost 4 years has persuaded me otherwise.
Allied to this is the knowledge imparted by UK Column on subjects such as our defence or lack thereof.
Whilst we all obsess about the details of leaving the EU, the shadowy inner government continues the surrender of the United Kingdom.
I am totally convinced that 10 years from now England will be a vassal state of the EU and that the next war will be started yet again in Europe.

2. James Bertram , Sunday, November 03, 2019, 08:13:

This is nothing but a cowardly betrayal by the ERG - they should have continued to fight within their party for what they wanted when Boris was elected, with their continued threat to resign and split the party. Instead, with their man installed as PM, they just gave in - putting the self-interest and unity of the Tory Party ahead of the interests of our country and Union. Truly shameful behaviour.
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Aaron Banks has been persuaded to push aside his principles because of Fear; let's hope his courage returns soon. We would welcome him back.
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Voters are asked to vote for this Surrender Treaty again because of Fear - firstly Fear of Leaving, then Fear of Crashing Out, and now Fear of a Corbyn Government. There is nothing positive or hopeful about this.
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Johnson's Surrender Treaty will be the end of the UK as an independent country - as Boris use to claim "it is vassalage". Dressing up May's deal and putting a blonde wig on it, does not make it any better.
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If we want Brexit then we must have the courage to vote for what we really want. Do not be cowed by sly self-interested Tories telling you to vote for their betrayal - stand up, and stand proud - and you will not regret it.

3. Barbara Jell , Sunday, November 03, 2019, 08:41:

I feel sick to the pit of my stomach that we are faced with such an unsavoury 'choice'. It stinks. It appears that we are trapped with a 'choice' between a complete surrender to our enemies, (not just the EU, but our Establishment), or a surrender with the 'mirage' of freedom being dangled in front of us, ie, an interminable and hopeless battle to leave, and this fills me with rage.
If Boris wins the election, Parliament will STILL be filled with the same treacherous Remainers, many of whom have been cynically brought back into the fold to strengthen his position.
They are supporting this non deal because it represents STAYING in the EU and, therefore, any post-election attempts to secure our independence and fight our way out of this straitjacket will be met with exactly the same obfuscation and resistance by the same traitorous Europhiles as before. Not rocket science is it? The foxes have been allowed back into the hen coop. Just to be absolutely CLEAR, Boris will not have a hope in hell of negotiating any kind of a genuine exit because the sewer in Westminster is infested with rats.
Has Aaron banks fallen out with Nigel regarding his lack of support for the latter and completely opposite views?
And WHY is Boris not considering leaving without signing a Treaty as THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REQUIREMENT TO SIGN ONE? I leave you to draw your own conclusions.
I, for one, will not give up and again, I appeal to any readers who visit this site to DONATE to it if they wish to have any meaningful representation and support in fighting this hideous travesty and war against the people of this country.

4. Not4EU●, London , Sunday, November 03, 2019, 09:46:

As we can see from all parties, all that they know is Project Fear - vote for us otherwise (insert threat of the day), vote for a pretend leave otherwise we remain. When did our politicians become so spineless? Nothing positive, and certainly (as the Treaty is the faux Cons pretend leave WA) the Cons are not promoting a single manifesto policy as a 'benefit' of leaving & what they 'could' now do with our 'returned independence & sovereignty'.
As their surrender Treaty is now the Cons only 'leave' policy, why would that be?
Could it be that it's just another can kicking exercise, whilst our Country becomes a non-country at the mercy of the EU during the 'so-called' transition period? It's just legal text where nothing, no implementation nor transition, is actually planned to happen. If it was, why aren't these set out in the manifesto? Why can't we see, or they explain, the clear plan to freedom, with dates? Why does it read that we'll be exactly where we've been since Chequers at the end of the 'transition'? Oh look, what do I see in the WA....oh, an extension option! The only logical answer to the above questions is that nothing is intended to happen but to give more time to overturn the largest democratic mandate in this country which is simply to LEAVE the EU. Deceitful.
Do they really believe that we can 'trust' them to act in OUR interests in the interim? We've now been betrayed by three consecutive PMs, all Conservative, and we've watched politicians put party before country & seemingly accept remaining by accepting the surrender Treaty. One just has to see the pro-EU federalists who support it to confirm that it's a bad thing.
We, the people & businesses, need CERTAINTY. The Treaty kicks the can down the road, with the PD setting out the minimum concessions for years of further uncertainty. The only way to provide that certainty for all is to do what was voted for - LEAVE with no Treaty designed to deceive the electorate.

5. Sydney Ashurst , Sunday, November 03, 2019, 09:52:

This supposed PRAGMATISM cannot lead to a successful BREXIT. Discount the Customs border in the Irish Sea and the Withdrawal Agreement sets the rules for many years of the EU stalling on future trade and relationships. Dig out those papers on the assessment of its faults they are still valid. Backing the Boris deal is not going anywhere, but how many of the electorate realise this?
Will I have the choice of candidate who can give me the Brexit I want, I doubt it.
There will be leavers in Labour held constituencies who have to make a decision between the Brexit Party and the Conservatives. The outcome of this election depends on how they vote.

6. Sydney Ashurst , Sunday, November 03, 2019, 10:21:

Journalists writing about the WA can get it horribly wrong and Juliet Samuel in the Telegraph does it frequently.

7. James Bertram , Sunday, November 03, 2019, 11:44:

Hopefully the message that the Boris Surrender Treaty is a Fake Brexit, and will not get anything 'Done' for at least 3 years, is slowly seeping out.
Nigel was on 'Marr on Sunday' today - and treated with far more respect than last time.
The latest poll in the Sunday Telegraph puts the Tories only 8% ahead of Labour (down from a lead of 13-16%).
People are beginning to wake up to the fact that Boris is selling them a dodgy motor.
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Boris Johnson’s Conservatives are only eight points ahead of Labour, according to a poll for The Sunday Telegraph.
The ORB International survey for the newspaper puts the Tories on 36 per cent, with 28 for Labour, 14 per cent for the Liberal Democrats and 12 per cent for Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party.
Undertaken on Wednesday and Thursday, the new poll is likely to spark concern within the Conservative campaign.
Experts warned that Mr Johnson will need to significantly increase his lead to be sure of securing a majority.
Four separate polls conducted in the two weeks before gave the Conservatives a lead of between 13 and 16 points.
Writing in The Sunday Telegraph, Professor Sir John Curtice said...

8. tarien , Sunday, November 03, 2019, 11:48:

Very well put all of you in summing up of the ludicrous, incomprehensible Boris Johnson W/A deal, excellent and I concur with your sentiments absolutely 3/Babara Jell 'I feel sick to the pit of my stomach that we are faced with such an unsavoury 'choice'. It stinks. It appears that we are trapped with a 'choice' between a complete surrender to our enemies, (not just the EU, but our Establishment), or a surrender with the 'mirage' of freedom being dangled in front of us, ie, an interminable and hopeless battle to leave, and this fills me with rage.' It certainly stirs unthinkable thoughts in more ways than one-more than stinks-No Deal Vote all the way for me.

9. Just a pleb , Sunday, November 03, 2019, 11:57:

Dear prospective MPs & parties,
The vote was to LEAVE.
We EXPECT to leave.
You have failed to leave, & so proved unfit for purpose as you've had 3.25 years to do so. No excuses.
You have failed to stand up for democracy & the people of this country. No excuses.
If you have failed so miserably so far, why should we believe that you 'might','possibly', have a 'chance' of leaving several years down the line & will suddenly stand up for us after signing us up as a colony? Really? You think us that stupid?
Some of you support this vassalage. The rest want to overturn the decision & continue a life of unaccountability outsourcing their responsibility to a foreign power.
No excuses are acceptable. Honour the result, no ifs & buts, do or die, we will leave, it was said. Still (deliberately) failed. You've all failed the people you were elected to serve. You are pitiful, self-serving excuses for politicians. The only time that my vote actually counted for something & you've spat in my face. Stand aside now as you are too corrupted for this farce to continue. You are all singularly without any honour.
My pitchfork is being sharpened. What have I got to lose? I live under foreign occupation with a Vichy Parliament in a country that is no longer a democracy. If we don't actually leave the EU cesspit, it doesn't really matter who our 'Govt' is, we know it's really the unelected and unaccountable EU. 'You' are powerless.

10. Sydney Ashurst , Sunday, November 03, 2019, 12:51:

This new found pragmatism by Boris Johnson and even many ERG MP's, that any deal is better than NO Brexit is contrary to Theresa May's original NO Deal is better than a BAD DEAL. Logic and common sense ignores the fact ratifying the WA does not mean we have left the EU. We are committed to pay up and enter a transition period where under EU terms we negotiate our future trade and relationship with the EU - the unknown.
Any idea of Johnson's that he can get his deal through Parliament or a good outcome from the negotiations is dependent on a goodly majority of MP's for leaving and that includes the Brexit Party. Without a pact we could end up in the same stasis, or with a Corbyn coalition Government. The election will have been resolved for the worse and who will we blame.